Method and conveying path for the separation of at least one signature from a stream of signatures

ABSTRACT

Separating a single signature from a stream of overlapping signatures is effected by leading the stream over a crest portion in the path of the stream so that a widened gap is provided between the uppermost signature and the underlying signature. A shunting or diverting device is rapidly introduced into the gap to grip the uppermost signature and is thereafter rapidly retracted to withdraw a single signature from the stream. The diverting device comprises an upper and a lower belt conveyor supported by a carriage movable along an inclined path relative to the main path of the stream of signatures, the lower end of the lower conveyor forming a freely projecting end which is adapted to be introduced into said gap between two consecutive signatures.

United States Patent Carlen et al. [45] S t, 9 1975 METHOD AND CONVEYINGPATH FOR 3,061,068 10 1962 Spinks 198/31 R THE SEPARATION UP AT LEASTONE f; 13;} gufour gi /2i ogren et a SIGNATURE FROM A STREAM 0F3,738,644 6/1973 Kluge et a1 271 64 SIGNATURES 3,754,647 8/1973 DiFranket al 271/64 [75] Inventors: Bo Robert Junior Carlen,

Sollentuna; Anders Ingvar Andersson, F arsta, both of Sweden [73]Assignee: Ahlen & Akerlunds Forlags AB,

Stockholm, Sweden [22] Filed: Sept. 17, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 398,072

[] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 21, 1972 Sweden 12207/72 [52]US. Cl. 198/31 AB; 198/75; 198/133; 271/64 [51] Int. Cl. B65G 47/26 [58]Field of Search 198/31 R, 31 AB, 35, 133, 198/20 T, 271/64, 172, 184;214/ G, 8.5 SS

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,478,610 8/1949 Uschmann etal. 271/64 Primary ExaminerRichard A. Schacher AssistantExaminer,leffrey V. Nase Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb& Soffen [5 7] ABSTRACT Separating a single signature from a stream ofoverlapping signatures is effected by leading the stream over a crestportion in the path of the stream so that a widened gap is providedbetween the uppermost signature and the underlying signature. A shuntingor diverting device is rapidly introduced into the gap to grip theuppermost signature and is thereafter rapidly retracted to withdraw asingle signature from the stream. The diverting device comprises anupper and a lower belt conveyor supported by a carriage movable along aninclined path relative to the main path of the stream of signatures, thelower end of the lower conveyor forming a freely projecting end which isadapted to be introduced into said gap between two consecutivesignatures.

7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEU SEP 9 75 sum 1 0f 2 PATENTED 9|9753,904,019

sum 2 n5 2 FIG. 2

METHOD AND CONVEYING PATH FOR THE SEPARATION OF AT LEAST ONE SIGNATUREFROM A STREAM OF SIGNATURES The present invention relates to a methodand a conveying path of the kind set forth in the preamble to the claims1 and 2 following hereafter. With such conveying paths for a stream ofsignatures or newspapers overlapping each other, there are known deviceswhich at will can cause the diversion of a stream of signatures to abranch path. However, the known devices are not suitable for pluckingout a solitary signature for inspection of the quality of the print onthe signature. The aim of the present invention is to accomplish adevice which makes this possible and can alternatively also be used todivert a plurality of signatures if so requires, e.g., to separate anumber of signatures which are to go to waste because of poor quality.

This is made possible by a method and a conveying path of the kind underconsideration, which have the characteristics given in the claimsfollowing hereafter. The branch path has thus a displaceable carrierprovided with an upper and a lower belt conveyor and which can bequickly shifted to a gripping position where the spine of a signature isimmediately gripped between the conveyors, whereafter the carrier issnatched back, taking with it only one signature. If the carrier ispermitted to remain in the plucking position, signatures will bediverted as long as the carrier remains in this position.

A convenient embodiment of the invention is de scribed in the followingwhile referring to the attached drawings, where FIG. 1 is a schematiclongitudinal section through the main conveying path and a branch pathaccording to the invention, and

FIG. 2 is an elevation taken from in front of the branch path.

The main path and the branch path consist in a known manner of drivenbelt conveyors with a number of belts, ribbons, chains, wires or othersimilar means side by side passing over a number of jockey pulleys,rollers or the like. For the sake of simplicity, although a conveyor iscomposed of a number of spaced belts or the like and rollers, referencewill be made merely to one of the belts and one of the rollers seen inFIG. 1.

The main path has an approach portion 10 extending somewhat slantinglyupwards to an upper jockey pulley 12, round it and backwards to a lowerjockey pulley 14, round this and thereafter forming an essentiallyhorizontal exit portion 17. A crest 16 is formed at the pulleys 14, 12so that when the signatures pass over the upperjockey pulley 12, theywill cease to lie flat against each other because the signatures bendone at a time towards the exit portion 17 of the path. A widened pocket18 is hereby obtained between the spine edge 20a of the uppermostsignature 20 and the downwardly bent preceding signature. In someapplications the pulley 14 may be omitted so that the crest portion 16of the main path will be obtained merely by the pulley 12. The pulley 12and/or 14 may be formed by a shaft having the same diameter as thepulley 12 and/or 14.

The jockey pulleys or shafts 12, 14 of the main path are supported byshafts mounted in parts 22 supported by the frame of the machine.

Above the main path there is a carrier 24 having two side plates 26joined together by transverse struts, one

strut 24a being shown in FIG. 2. The side plates carry a number ofshafts 30, 32, 34 provided with jockey pulleys 38, 40, 44 for a lowerbelt conveyor 46, the belt of which further passes over a tensioningpulley 48 on a shaft 50 which is mounted on adjustable arms 50ajournalled on a frame part 22a. The carrier also supports an upper beltconveyor 52 with shafts 54, 56, 58 provided with jockey pulleys 62, 64,66. There is further a tensioning pulley 68 mounted on a pivotal arm 68asupported by a strut 24a extending between the side plates 26.

The carrier 24 is displaceably mounted for displacement in a slopingplane between the lower end position, shown in solid line fashion, tothe upper end position shown with dotted lines in FIG. 1. Thisdisplacement is accomplished by two cylinders 70 supporting the carrier24 and being displaceable on two stationary piston rods 72, each ofwhich have a fixed piston 70a which in a manner known per se divides thecylinder into two chambers. When pressurized air is admitted throughinlet 70b, the cylinders will be moved upwardly to move the carrier 24rapidly to its upper end position. When air is led to inlet 700, thecarrier will be moved rapidly to its lower end position.

The upper part 74 of the lower conveyor 46 extends from the lower jockeypulley 38 or a corresponding shaft to the upper jockey pulley 42, roundit and down to the tensioning pulley 48. From here the belt extendsbackwards in a loop 76, 78 round the intermediate jockey pulley 44 andforward to the lower jockey pulley 38. Pulley 42 is mounted on drivenshaft 36 journalled in the two side plates 22 of the machine frame.

The upper conveyor has a lower part 80 extending from the lower jockeypulley 66 to the upper jockey pulley 64 and lying adjacent to the upperpart 74 of the lower conveyor. From the upper jockey pulley 64 the beltextends via tensioning pulley 68 to the extra jockey pulley 62 lying infront of the lower jockey pulley 66. Between the two pulleys the beltforms an end portion 82 which is shown as being horizontally but may beinclined.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the upper part 74 of the lower conveyor hasa free end portion 84 between the jockey pulleys 66 and 38, thistogether with the end portion 82 of conveyor 52 forms a pocket forreceiving the signature 20 forming the upper part of pocket 18.

The conveyors are driven by having a driving motor coupled to the pulley42 for driving the lower conveyor. From this conveyor, drive istransmitted to the upper conveyor between the shafts 34 and 56 withtheir respective chain wheels 86, 88 around which are placed a chain 90.

When a single signature is to be plucked from the stream of signatures,the carrier 24 is moved by cylinders 70 quickly from its upper end(dotted) position to its position shown with full lines in FIG. 1, wherethe lower jockey pulley 38 enters the widened pocket 18. The signature20 lying uppermost and beginning to move over the jockey pulley 12 willbe thrown forward with its spine 20a contacting the forward end portion84 of the belt part 74. The signature 20 is thereby led up intoengagement between the lower pulley 66 and the upper part 74 and isdrawn upwards between the lower part 80 and the upper part 74. When thishas taken place, the spine edge portion of signature 20 will be at aposition between the ends of the lower part 80, that is gripped by theupper and lower conveyors. The

carrier 24 is now quickly withdrawn to its upper end position,simultaneously withdrawing a single signature from the stream. If theupward speed of the carrier upon displacement is approximately equal tothe driving speed of the belts 74, 80, the belts will stand essentiallystill in comparison to the carrier during its movement, which is due tothe relative movement obtained at the pulley 44 by reason of the pulleys48 and 42 hav ing a fixed position. This means that the carrier mayarrive at its upper end position before the signature has reached pulley42. The signature is thereafter led away to an inspection station onpaths not shown.

Apart from the above-mentioned advantage of the stationary pulley 42,this device brings with it a simple means of transferring drive to boththe upper and lower conveyors from a stationary driving motor throughthe shaft 36 to conveyor 46 and via chain 90 to conveyor 52.

If it is desired to lead off several signatures, the carrier 24 isallowed to remain in its lower end or gripping position.

What we claim is:

l. A method for separating a least one signature from a stream ofsignatures fed in a downstream direction from an upstream location alonga conveying path having a main path and a branch path selectivelymovable towards the main path for conveying a stream of signatures,weekly journals, brochures or the like,,whieh are arranged inoverlapping fashion and have spines facing forward and in the downstreamdirection of the main path, said signatures each having a bottom and atop surface whereby each bottom surface engages the top surface of thepreceding adjacent downstream signature and each top surface engages thebottom surface of the succeeding adjacent upstream signature, the spinesof each signature being a spaced distance from the spines of adjacentupstream and downstream signatures, the branch path being provided witha reciprocating shunting device as well as a withdrawing device havingengaging belts, the method comprising the steps of:

leading the signatures around a bend so that the spine of each signatureis caused to lift away from the engaging top surface of the precedingadjacent downstream signature to form a gap between the lifted spine andthe top surface of the preceding adjacent downstream signature;

moving the shunting device into said gap whereby the lifted spine isdeflected towards the withdrawing device and between the engaging belts;

moving the belts to draw the deflected signature between the engagingbelts; and

rapidly withdrawing the shunting device away from said gap as thedeflected signature moves between the engaging belts by means of a quickbackward snatching of the withdrawing device while the extractedsignature continues to move between the belts of the withdrawing device.

2. Conveying path with a main path and a branch path optionallyengageable and alignable with the main path for conveying a stream ofsignatures, weekly journals, brochures or the like, which overlap eachother having their spines facing forward in the conveying di' rection,the main path having a crest so arranged to accomplish a separation ofthe signatures in the area at the crest so that a shunting device,movable between two end positions, is introducible in a gap formedbetween two adjacent signatures, when the foremost of these bends overthe crest, characterized in that the branch path is defined by a carrierwhich is displaceable in a sloping plane between an upper and a lowerend position, said carrier supporting an upper and a lower endlessdriven belt conveyor with a number of endless belts, running over jockeypulleys, forming the conveying elements of the conveyors, the upperconveying element having a portion of the lower conveyor extendingbetween a first lower and second upper jockey pulley, the lowerconveying element having a portion of the upper conveyor cxtendingbetween a third lower and fourth upper jockey pulley lying adjacent theupper conveying element of the lower conveyor for conveying signaturesbetween the conveying element portions, the third jockey pulley of theupper conveyor being positioned above the first jockey pulley of thelower conveyor so that the upper conveying element of the lower conveyorhas a free end portion for guiding in at least one signature under thethird jockey pulley of the upper conveyor when the carrier is in itslower end position, and the first jockey pulley of the lower conveyorlies in said gap.

3. Conveying path according to claim 2, characterized in that'the upperconveyor has a fifth jockey pulley at its lower end, said fifth jockeypulley together with the third jockey pulley of the upper conveyordefining an end portion forming an acute triangle with the free endportion of the lower conveyor to define a tapered entry for a signature,and coacting to guide at least one signature therebetween, when thecarrier is lowered to its lower end position.

4. Conveying path according to claim 2, characterized in that the lowerconveying element of the lower conveyor, which extends between the upperand lower jockey pulleys at the ends of the conveyor, defines in a'double S-bend where the lower conveying element from the upper jockeypulley first extends to a tensioning pulley adjustably arranged on thesupporting frame,

and around the tensioning pulley and back up again towards anintermediate jockey pulley rotatably journalled on the carrier, to movetherewith round the intermediate pulley and then forward to the firstjockey pulley of the lower conveyor and then over the first jockeypulley to form the upper conveying'element with its free lower endportion.

5. Conveying path according to claim 4, characterized in that theintermediate jockey pulley of the lower conveyor is driveably unitedwith one of the jockey pulleys of the upper conveyor, for driving boththe conveyors at the same speed.

6. Conveying path according to claim 5, characterized in that the secondpulley of the lower conveyor is supported by a shaft journalled in themachine frame and connected with a driving motor.

7. Apparatus for withdrawing at least one signature from a signaturestream moving from an upstream loca tion in a downstream direction andin which signatures are arranged in overlapping fashion, each signaturehaving a spine facing in the downstream direction, said signatures eachhaving top and bottom surfaces, whereby each bottom surface engages thetop surface of the preceding adjacent downstream signature and each topsurface engages the bottom surface of the succeeding adjacent upstreamsignature, the spines of each signature being a spaced distance from thespines of adjacent upstream and downstream signatures comprismeans forconveying said signature stream in the downstream direction along a mainpath;

means in said main path for leading the signatures around a bend to liftthe spine of each signature away from the engaging top surface of thepreceding downstream signature and thereby form a gap therebetween;

a shunting device for deflecting signatures away from the main path andalong a branch path, said device comprising:

a reciprocally mounted carriage;

a first lower closed loop conveyor belt entrained about a first lowerand a second upper pulley rotatably mounted on said carriage in a firstdirection;

a second upper closed loop conveyor belt entrained about a third lowerand a fourth upper pulley rotatably mounted on said carriage;

a portion of said second belt extending between said third and fourthpulleys engaging a portion of the first belt extending between saidfirst and second pulleys;

said engaging pelt portions defining said branch path;

said first pulley being positioned closer to said gap than said thirdpulley;

means for moving the engaing portions of said first and second belts ina first direction along said branch path;

means for abruptly reciprocally moving said carriage along said branchpath and towards said main path to position said first pulley in saidgap and for moving said carriage away from said main path to remove saidfirst pulley from said gap whereby the signature whose spine is liftedat said bend is deflected towards said branch path and between theengaging portions of said belts when said first pulley lies in said gapand the deflected signature passes between the engaging belt portions asthe carriage moves the first pulley away from said gap thereby enablingsignatures not deflected by the first pulley to continue moving alongsaid main path.

1. A method for separating a least one signature from a stream ofsignatures fed in a downstream direction from an upstream location alonga conveying path having a main path and a branch path selectivelymovable towards the main path for conveying a stream of signatures,weekly journals, brochures or the like, which are arranged inoverlapping fashion and have spines facing forward and in the downstreamdirection of the main path, said signatures each having a bottom and atop surface whereby each bottom surface engages the top surface of thepreceding adjacent downstream signature and each top surface engages thebottom surface of the succeeding adjacent upstream signature, the spinesof each signature being a spaced distance from the spines of adjacentupstream and downstream signatures, the branch path being provided witha reciprocating shunting device as well as a withdrawing device havingengaging belts, the method comprising the steps of: leading thesignatures around a bend so that the spine of each signature is causedto lift away from the engaging top surface of the preceding adjacentdownstream signature to form a gap between the lifted spine and the topsurface of the preceding adjacent downstream signature; moving theshunting device into said gap whereby the lifted spine is deflectedtowards the withdrawing device and between the engaging belts; movingthe belts to draw the deflected signature between the engaging belts;and rapidly withdrawing the shunting device away from said gap as thedeflected signature moves between the engaging belts by means of a quickbackward snatching of the withdrawing device while the extractedsignature continues to move between the belts of the withdrawing device.2. Conveying path with a main path and a branch path optionallyengageable and alignable with the main path for conveying a stream ofsignatures, weekly journals, brochures or the like, which overlap eachother having their spines facing forward in the conveying direction, themain path having a crest so arranged to accomplish a separation of thesignatures in the area at the crest so that a shunting device, movablebetween two end positions, is introducible in a gap formed between twoadjacent signatures, when the foremost of these bends over the crest,characterized in that the branch path is defined by a carrier which isdisplaceable in a sloping plane between an upper and a lower endposition, said carrier supporting an upper and a lower endless drivenbelt conveyor with a number of endless belts, running over jockeypulleys, forming the conveying elements of the conveyors, the upperconveying element having a portion of the lower conveyor extendingbetween a first lower and second upper jockey pulley, the lowerconveying element having a portion of the upper conveyor extendingbetween a third lower and fourth upper jockey pulley lying adjacent theupper conveying element of the lower conveyor for conveying signaturesbetween the conveying element portions, the third jockey pulley of theupper conveyor being positioned above the first jockey pulley of thelower conveyor so that the upper conveying element of the lower conveyorhas a free end portion for guiding in at least one signature under thethird jockey pulley of the upper conveyor when the carrier is in itslower end position, and the first jockey pulley of the lower conveyorlies in said gap.
 3. Conveying path according to claim 2, characterizedin that the upper conveyor has a fifth jockey pulley at its lower end,said fifth jockey pulley together with the third jockey pulley of theupper conveyor defining an end portion forming an acute triangle withthe free end portion of the lower conveyor to define a tapered entry fora signature, and coacting to guide at least one signature therebetween,when the carrier is lowered to its lower end position.
 4. Conveying pathaccording to claim 2, characterized in that the lower conveying elementof the lower conveyor, which extends between the upper and lower jockeypulleys at the ends of the conveyor, defines in a double S-bend wherethe lower conveying element from the upper jockey pulley first extendsto a tensioning pulley adjustably arranged on the supporting frame, andaround the tensioning pulley and back up again towards an intermediatejockey pulley rotatably journalled on the carrier, to move therewithround the intermediate pulley and then forward to the first jockeypulley of the lower conveyor and then over the first jockey pulley toform the upper conveying element with its free lower end portion. 5.Conveying path according to claim 4, characterized in that theintermediate jockey pulley of the lower conveyor is driveably unitedwith one of the jockey pulleys of the upper conveyor, for driving boththe conveyors at the same speed.
 6. Conveying path according to claim 5,characterized in that the second pulley of the lower conveyor issupported by a shaft journalled in the machine frame and connected witha driving motor.
 7. Apparatus for withdrawing at least one signaturefrom a signature stream moving from an upstream location in a downstreamdirection and in which signatures are arranged in overlapping fashion,each signature having a spine facing in the downstream direction, saidsignatures each having top and bottom surfaces, whereby each bottomsurface engages the top surface of the preceding adjacent downstreamsignature and each top surface engages the bottom surface of thesucceeding adjacent upstream signature, the spines of each signaturebeing a spaced distance from the spines of adjacent upstream anddownstream signatures comprising: means for conveying said signaturestream in the downstream direction along a main path; means in said mainpath for leading the signatures around a bend to lift the spine of eachsignature away from the engaging top surface of the preceding downstreamsignature and thereby form a gap therebetween; a shunting device fordeflecting signatures away from the main path and along a branch path,said device comprising: a reciprocally mounted carriage; a first lowerclosed loop conveyor belt entrained about a first lower and a secondupper pulley rotatably mounted on said carriage in a first direction; asecond upper closed loop conveyor belt entrained about a third lower anda fourth upper pulley rotatably mounted on said carriage; a portion ofsaid second belt extending between said third and fourth pulleysengaging a portion of the first belt extending between said first andsecond pulleys; SAID engaging pelt portions defining said branch path;said first pulley being positioned closer to said gap than said thirdpulley; means for moving the engaing portions of said first and secondbelts in a first direction along said branch path; means for abruptlyreciprocally moving said carriage along said branch path and towardssaid main path to position said first pulley in said gap and for movingsaid carriage away from said main path to remove said first pulley fromsaid gap whereby the signature whose spine is lifted at said bend isdeflected towards said branch path and between the engaging portions ofsaid belts when said first pulley lies in said gap and the deflectedsignature passes between the engaging belt portions as the carriagemoves the first pulley away from said gap thereby enabling signaturesnot deflected by the first pulley to continue moving along said mainpath.